New Jersey Stage Issue 51 | Page 38

atrocities, the DP camps, and the struggles of the day. “Baba Babee Skazala trans- lates literally to ‘grandmother told grandmother,’” explained Silecky. “It goes back to when there was no television, no radio, no newspapers or anything. So, how was news shared? It was shared through the grandpar- ents because grandparents of- tentimes were the people who were no longer at work. They were ‘retired’ and would be about the town or city and speak to each other about the fam- ily doings. As you can imagine, news would travel around the city quite quickly.” The Ukrainians were up against threats to their people’s history and their homeland, as well in danger for their lives. The Soviet government wanted to claim the Ukraine as their own. It was an ambitious goal, but one that still persists today. “Ukraine” trans- lates to “borderlands” and those borders are constantly chal- lenged. Currently, the challenge Watch the trailer for Baba Babee Skazla NJ STAGE - ISSUE 51 INDEX NEXT ARTICLE 38